Review: Casa Maya Grill in Deerfield Beach
By Judith Stocks, Sun Sentinel
Important: This article was last updated on May 20, 2010. Please call ahead to confirm hours, prices, dates and other information.
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 301 SE 15th Terrace, Deerfield Beach 954-570-6101 casamayagrill.com Cuisine: Mexican Cost: inexpensive Hours: lunch, dinner daily Reservations: accepted for parties of 6 or more on Fridays, Saturdays Credit cards: AE, DC, MC, V Bar: beer, wine Sound level: quiet Outside smoking: yes For kids: boosters, high chairs, menu Wheelchair accessible: yes  |
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First impression: Handsomely outfitted in orange and gold with Mayan-inspired art. Lighting casts a pleasant blue glow over each table.Ambience: Relaxing and romantic.
Starters: Along with house made salsa and warm chips, the complimentary roasted corn chipotle salsa mixes sweet, slightly charred creamy corn with smoked jalapenos. Panuchos ($9), are terrific handmade tortillas topped with black bean spread, shreds of tender pork, pickled jalapenos and heaps of chihuahua, a cheddarlike white Mexican cheese. Delicious guacamole ($4) is smooth with chunks of tomatoes. Codzitos pibil ($9) are bite-sized tortilla rolls jammed with chicken or pork in an eye-catching presentation; one end is dipped into tomato sauce then crowned with a crema rosette.
Entree excellence: Poc chuc fajitas ($12) — made with sour orange marinated sliced pork loin and caramelized red onions — are delightful. But even better are the accompanying black beans pureed until almost buttery. The chiles rellenos ($16) are some of the best I've had, with firm, grilled poblanos bulging with cooked-just-right mahi-mahi and shrimp. A light tomato sauce and melted chihuahua finish the dish. Try the $11 burrito stuffed with white meat chicken and a pumpkin seed cilantro sauce called pipian verde. Or go light with $10 Uxmal baby spinach salad with chopped mangoes, avocados, wisps of fresh beets, Mexican cheese, sprouts, pumpkin seeds and a great chipotle honey mustard dressing. Add grilled chicken or steak for a $12 tab or grilled shrimp or fish, $14.
Sweet!: There just aren't any let downs from start to finish. A fat slice of guava cheesecake — with guava blended into the cream cheese — is $6. Also very good is dense flan ($4), with the traditional caramel gently infused with fresh oranges.
Liquid assets: Wine-based margaritas, on the rocks or frozen ($5), might not sound good, but one taste of these concoctions made with 20 percent alcohol agave liquor and you'll be sold.
Service: Quietly congenial. Wait staff check back periodically to make sure guests are happy.
Contact dining correspondent Judith Stocks at judithstocksreviews@yahoo.com.